Equestrian wedding dreams are not just for the little girls who once wished for a pony. Chic farm style fetes are one of the hottest trends any season of the year. Today's feature focuses on inspiration that comes in all shapes and sizes including the four-legged variety. A vision of cabernet and gold, bubbly champagne, too pretty to eat cakes, Utah's beautiful Red Cliff Ranch scenery blended with a formal equestrian flair is all artfully captured by photographer Pepper Nix.
Gold N' Glam Appeal
A variety of pink and red hues, fused with gold and black present a more formal mood and eloquently create something unexpected. Moving away from a country feel this talented group of wedding and event vendors capitalized on rich textures and luscious color tones. Sit back and take in the beauty of this fine affair - you will forget that you are looking at a styled shoot. Immediately drawn in by its equestrian wedding Gold N' Glam appeal!
A Fusion of Cabernet and Gold
Not shying away from the growing popular use of gold, chairs, fine textured linens, flatware and goblets glistened in the metallic hue. To accent this royal theme a hint of cabernet chargers and red napkins were used to offset and provide a deeper opulence. A lace and silk swag draped the doors of the ranch stable for a grand entrance. While Studio Stems translated their floral creations into a traditional and formal style, keeping top-of-mind how the flower vessels would interact with the overall vibe and theme. First using a wide based rustic gold urn to hold a rich and contrasting ensemble of blooms. To help the table move with all its elements cohesively, they incorporated small antique gold glass cylinders and bowls with small arrangements as satellites around the main centerpiece. Studio Stem incorporated many of the same blooms used in the bridal bouquet for cohesiveness with the addition of red tulips, geranium leaf, plumose, rambling spray roses, and one large focal bloom in the form of a giant blush protea.
Farm Fresh to Table
Culinary Crafts who presented oysters on the half shelf topped with black sturgeon caviar set the air of fine cuisine. To utilize the idea of farm fresh to table, flavors of unadorned lump crab and bell pepper duxelle combined with a bite of heirloom cherry tomato would be passed to start the meal. In the cooler months, a warm soup course over cold salad for a truly formal dinner would be served. The rich golden color of the butternut soup suited perfectly to the tablescape. The cider cream and toasted pepitos (pumpkin seeds) garnished the top. We love the simple white porcelain bowl that allows the soup to shine on the red and gold place setting.
Ganache and Gold
Moving away from the traditional single wedding cake, a small ornate gold wedding cake acted as the centerpiece to Layers Cake Company dessert table. Petite black cakes added a bit of dramatic contrast to the dessert table. What could be more stunning than black ganache cakes with edible gold glitter?
Chic Rustic Elements
Autumn offers florist the opportunity to move away from blush, ivory, and other light tones and to work with some lush and vivacious color. Studio Stem implemented those soft light blooms of the warmer season for the bridal bouquet, but layered in the contrast of stronger colors like pinks, reds, and greens. Elegant large blooms of the dahlia in both the blush and a strong bold red were used to create a big bloom focus. The mood and the feeling of the ranch is embraced by a few rustic elements like the maiden hair fern, viburnum berry, smilax vine, and a touch of gold with the magnolia leaf wrapped in an antique gold satin.
Four-Legged Bridal Party
What equestrian wedding inspiration is complete without the addition of a gorgeous pure bread horse? Joining the bridal entourage, Studio Stem created a custom smilax vine necklace with an off set cluster of dahlias, spray roses, and ranucs to adorn this beautiful creature with a few extra blooms beautifying the stallion's long tail.
Rustic Glam Bridal Style
The bride wore Junko Yoshioka's "Michelle" mermaid gown from Avenia Bridal. Ivory cotton and silk twill fabric gives this gown the thickness and structure that is perfect for fall! We love the unique fluted bodice detail and flounced train that adds softness to the opulent fabric and design. The mix of textures is a big trend and simply stunning for today's bride. Washington Millinery ivory gloves added elegance and sophistication reminiscent of the Kentucky Derby style. They come just below the elbow for a lady-like, but not overdone look. Signature Brides started with long soft curls down the back for the bridal hair, gradually making them tighter toward her fringe. The front was brushed out to give a soft wave. A wide braid around the back of the hairstyle swept the curls to one side, pinning the center of the curls up to create the illusion of less length in the front to accentuate the bride's neckline and the top of the dress. Richards Design headband is perfect for the bride deciding between a veil or unique hairpiece; it has a birdcage veil as well as a floral/feathered fascinator accented with horsehair bands. Signature Brides used soft colors for the eyes using shades of gold and pink with dark browns in the corners and a touch of black in the crease for definition. Bold red lipstick and black mascara with individual false lashes completed this subtle yet glamorous equestrian look. Standing beside the gorgeous bride, the groom wore a Genesis fitted tuxedo from Mr. Mac with an "O" button, single-breasted styling and side-vented back. Tailored in soft, luxurious Super 100's wool that featured a satin notch lapel and satin double besom pockets. The bride's ring was 18K white and rose gold two tone by Makur Designs from Goldsmith Jewelers with a show-stopping 1.26-carat pink emerald in the center surrounded by .49-carat total weight in diamonds. The groom's ring is 14K white and rose gold two-tone men's wedding band. A rare rose pearl necklace where each pearl was handpicked and matched was wrapped around the bride's wrist to create a layered bracelet look.
Leather and Lace
A rough horse head sketched out during the evening hours in Ann Elizabeth Custom Graphic Design & Printing Studio's "Leather and Lace" notepad was the first step toward the inspiration of the paper suite. The rich and decadent touch of leather is how the leather strands that wrap around the main invitation became part of the design. The leather square over the leather strands was the perfect opportunity to introduce the horse head monogram for the set. Lace layers on the invitation softened the leather and give the piece balance between hard and soft elements. The menu featured all of the best matching details. A small piece of the leather strand and a band of lace lay across the menu top. Consistency and attention to details all the way through a bride's paper suite, from save the date to the wedding date, are personal touches guests notice.
Equestrian Wedding Dream
To capture all the beauty of this equestrian wedding dream, Ryan Hinman Films was on hand to bring the day into motion.
Bravo, everyone! We are more than inspired.
